A notorious career criminal last week confessed in the Supreme Court to a series of unsolved armed robberies across Melbourne in the late 1980s and early ’90s, including two in Brimbank.
Christopher Pecotic – who was previously known as Christopher “Badness” Binse – has spent about 31 of the past 34 years in custody.
He is serving 18 years and two months for a series of firearms offences and armed robberies in 2012, including a 44-hour seige with police.
The court heard that in January 2015 Pecotic wrote to police, confessing his involvement in eight more armed robberies committed between May 1988 and December 1991.
This included one at the State Savings Bank in East Keilor, where he made off with $21,668, and a failed robbery at the Commonwealth Bank in St Albans. Both of these offences occurred in 1988 and involved threatening staff with a shotgun.
Pecotic said he also took part in armed robberies in Altona (twice), Moonee Ponds, Noble Park, Highpoint Shopping Centre, and Highpoint West during this period, getting away with $393,485 in total.
In a submission to the court, Police prosecutor Peter Rose said the crimes would likely never have been solved without Pecotic coming forward.
“The accused … would not have been identified but for his own admissions,” Mr Rose said.
The confession was welcomed by Justice Terry Forrest.
“For nearly a quarter of a century the offences before this court remained unsolved. They would have remained so forever but for your decision to confess,” Justice Forrest told the court.
“I am satisfied that you have demonstrated a willingness to facilitate the course of justice and acted upon that willingness by pleading guilty.”
Justice Forrest sentenced Pecotic to 18 years and two months behind bars for the offences, to be served concurrently with his current incarceration, meaning his total time in prison was not increased.
Pecotic will be eligible for parole in 2026.
